FORMER US President Jimmy Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize yesterday for his "untiring effort" to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts and to advance democracy and human rights.

FORMER US President Jimmy Carter won the Nobel Peace Prize yesterday for his "untiring effort" to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts and to advance democracy and human rights.

The Nobel committee chairman contrasted the 78-year-old's success in finding Middle East peace between Egypt and Israel through diplomacy with the current situation where US President George Bush is threatening to use force against Iraq.

"It should be interpreted as a criticism of the line that the current administration has taken," chairman Gunnar Berge said.

"It is a kick in the leg to all that follow the same line as the United States."

The Norwegian Nobel Committee cited Carter's "vital contribution" to the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, his efforts in conflict resolution on several continents and the promotion of human rights after his presidency.

The award, which was announced in Oslo, is worth &#xA3;650,000.

The citation did not mention Iraq and other members of the Nobel committee later distanced themselves from Berge's direct criticism of Bush, saying that was his own opinion and had not been part of the discussions leading to the prize.